motegi
Tyme Machine
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2014
- Messages
- 2,209
INTRO:
As all watch collectors know that our precious watches will pick up minor scratches and scuffs over time. And most of us would like to keep our collections in the best possible condition for years to come. Using this tutorial I will demonstrate a few simple ideas on how I refinish some of my own watches. This will not repair major damage but will be effective for minor blemishes from day to day wear and can be quite simple to perform if you own or have used a Dremel rotary tool before.
TIME: About 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how much of your watch you are wanting to polish.
TOOLS: A Dremel rotary tool (or similar device), soft microfiber or cotton cloth for wiping off the residue after the polishing is completed.
COST: Under $10 for the polish.
MATERIALS:
1a) MAAS metal polishing creme ($12 on Amazon or may be found at some local hardware stores) OR
1b) Mothers' Automotive Mag and Aluminum Polish also works quite well too (under $10 on Amazon or at your local auto parts stores).
2) Dremel felt polishing wheel/kit (you can find these for under $15 on Amazon or at your local hardware stores)
TUTORIAL:
The key is running the Dremel on one of the lowest speed settings and working slowly. I go progressively from medium to light pressure and polish both lengthwise as well as perpendicular.
Finally, I finished the polishing with a Cape Cod cloth and refinished the brushed areas with a green Scotch Brite pad.
The watch shown is an Invicta Miyota Pro Diver that I gifted to my father many years ago. It has been worn daily and shows the scuffs and scratches of use. I borrowed it for refurbishment and the following is the result.
Here's the BEFORE:
And now the AFTER:
Obviously if you don't already have a Dremel and want to start refinishing your watches, then a pedestal grinder a hand drill mounted polishing kit might make things faster. On the other hand if you already own one, then a Dremel may take a bit longer but it can work quite well.
As all watch collectors know that our precious watches will pick up minor scratches and scuffs over time. And most of us would like to keep our collections in the best possible condition for years to come. Using this tutorial I will demonstrate a few simple ideas on how I refinish some of my own watches. This will not repair major damage but will be effective for minor blemishes from day to day wear and can be quite simple to perform if you own or have used a Dremel rotary tool before.
TIME: About 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how much of your watch you are wanting to polish.
TOOLS: A Dremel rotary tool (or similar device), soft microfiber or cotton cloth for wiping off the residue after the polishing is completed.
COST: Under $10 for the polish.
MATERIALS:
1a) MAAS metal polishing creme ($12 on Amazon or may be found at some local hardware stores) OR
1b) Mothers' Automotive Mag and Aluminum Polish also works quite well too (under $10 on Amazon or at your local auto parts stores).
2) Dremel felt polishing wheel/kit (you can find these for under $15 on Amazon or at your local hardware stores)
TUTORIAL:
The key is running the Dremel on one of the lowest speed settings and working slowly. I go progressively from medium to light pressure and polish both lengthwise as well as perpendicular.
Finally, I finished the polishing with a Cape Cod cloth and refinished the brushed areas with a green Scotch Brite pad.
The watch shown is an Invicta Miyota Pro Diver that I gifted to my father many years ago. It has been worn daily and shows the scuffs and scratches of use. I borrowed it for refurbishment and the following is the result.
Here's the BEFORE:
And now the AFTER:
Obviously if you don't already have a Dremel and want to start refinishing your watches, then a pedestal grinder a hand drill mounted polishing kit might make things faster. On the other hand if you already own one, then a Dremel may take a bit longer but it can work quite well.
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